photo imprint lithography has been proposed as a method of forming the pattern in semiconductor device technology, record medium technology or the like.
First, a droplet of a photo-curing resin is disposed on a prescribed position of a substrate by an ink-jet method in imprint lithography. Next, the substrate is contacted to a quartz template via a resin, so that the photo-curing resin is filled in an unexcavated pattern on the quartz template.
The photo-curing resin is irradiated with light through the quartz template to harden the photo-curing resin. Successively, the quartz template is demolded from the substrate. Further, the residual film of the resin on the substrate is removed by etching or the like.
Finally, the substrate is etched to form a pattern therein on a basis of a resin pattern in which the residual film is removed.
Here, controlling of a discharge amount of the photo-curing resin is demanded as picoliter order for coating the photo-curing resin in the ink-jet method. The optimum distribution of the photo-curing resin to be discharged on the substrate corresponding to a pattern density is calculated from information of template pattern on the template to control the discharge distribution.
Filling with the photo-curing resin into the template pattern is proceeded by capillarity. In a process that the resin is filled into the template pattern, a gas hermetically sealed in the template, which means an atmosphere in the process, is diffused and dissolved into the photo-curing resin. In such a manner, the resin is completely filled into the template pattern.
However, amount of the photo-curing resin as a solvent is determined by the discharge distribution mentioned above.
Therefore, when the necessary resin amount is not disposed near the template pattern, defects by insufficiently filling mentioned above may be generated where the gas is completely dissolved in the photo-curing resin.